"When he was elected... there was great hope," Walesa said. ".... we were hoping Obama would reclaim moral leadership for America," adding: "That failed."

".... in terms of politics and morality, America no longer leads the world," he said. "...America did not regain its leadership status. We were just lucky there were no big conflicts in the world," saying the world has relied on a strong America to maintain the balance of power around the globe.

"... It's a dangerous situation so we are awaiting a president who will understand that," he said.

Walesa went from a shipyard electrician to a union leader who helped overthrow the communist government in Poland, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and seven years later, becoming the first democratically elected president in Poland.

"I managed to destroy a bad system," he told CNN in the interview in Washington. ".... now we must be excellent at building new things. It doesn't take that much."

"I wish you to be successful because this success is needed to the United States, of course, but to Europe and the rest of the world, too," Walesa was heard after meeting Romney in Poland, the Weekly Standard reported at the time.